


I'll keep you safe

by SarcasticSmiler



Series: And Though They Be [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, but it doesn't actually happen, reference to blood and injury, there was just the potential for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 06:24:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5237753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarcasticSmiler/pseuds/SarcasticSmiler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set before 'And Though They Be...', a small snapshot of the lives of a young Dori and Nori.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll keep you safe

**Author's Note:**

> This is set about 16/17 years before the start of 'And Though They Be'. Nori has already gotten a name for himself as a thief but has not yet been truly discovered by the dwarf who'll eventually train him up to be Thorin's Spymaster. As such the Ri family lives in the undercity, basically the slums of Erebor, due to their rather dire financial situation which of course led to Nori learning to steal in the first place. Of course with Nori being the only omega in the family (their mother is an alpha) he tends to attract more trouble than is particularly healthy. Oh and Ori doesn't exist yet, which should be kinda obvious since he's about the same age as Kili in the main story.

Dori awoke to the sound of dishes rattling as a body tumbled through the small kitchen window, his alpha nature flaring to life at the pained whimper that followed. A whimper that could only belong to Nori.

Flying from the chair by their small fireplace, the young alpha barrelled into the kitchen to find his little omega brother bleeding on the flagstones.

“Nori,” he breathed, rushing forward to scoop the injured dwarf into his arms.

“Hurts, Dori, it hurts,” Nori whimpered curling into Dori’s solid form, seeking the comfort that only his alpha brother could provide with their mother away searching for work.

“I’ve got you, you’re safe now, I’ve got you,” Dori chanted, gently rocking the omega as he tugged Nori’s torn tunic back over his exposed shoulder.

“I didn’t know it was going to hit, I swear, Dori, I didn’t know.”

“None of us could’ve known,” Dori reassured.

At twenty Nori’s heats were still erratic and could hit without warning, it’d be another few years before they settled down into a regular pattern.

“All I wanted was a mug of ale but then it hit and a group of alphas just went crazy,” Nori whimpered again as a particularly strong cramp gripped him. Dori held his brother tighter, fully aware of the fact that their mother was probably going to kill him once she saw the state of her youngest. Even though both knew it was impossible to keep Nori in the house if he didn’t want to be there, he was still meant to be under Dori’s care when their mother wasn’t there.

“One tried to drag me away, kept saying he’d take me home, but I knew he meant his own. I sliced his face open and he threw me at the other alphas,” Nori’s voice grew harsh even as he trembled in Dori’s arms, “I fought, Dori, not a single one of those scum alphas got me. I _fought_.”

“And though I wish you didn’t have to, I’m so very proud that you did. Now come, let’s get you cleaned up and into bed before this get worse,” Dori said, brushing a kiss to Nori’s forehead before helping him to his unsteady feet.

Stumbling their way to their small bathroom, Dori deposited Nori onto the wobbly stool by the basin as he grabbed the nearby jug of water and a clean washcloth. Three times he had to renew the water in the wash basin before he was satisfied he’d cleaned all of Nori’s scrapes and cuts to the best of his ability.

“Well at least none of them need stitching,” he sighed, running a sympathetic eye over the young omega hunched over on the stool, arms wrapped tightly around his middle, “Come on, to bed with you.”

Gently coaxing his brother to uncurl, Dori helped him to his room where he quickly pulled a nightshirt over his head and bundled him into bed.

“Sleep,” he said, fingers running through Nori’s soft russet hair, loosened from its simple, single braid.

“But what if any of them followed me home?” Nori asked, his voice that of a scared young omega.

“They’ll never get past me,” Dori promised, “Now sleep, I’ll keep you safe.”

-x-

Dori had only just gotten Nori to sleep when someone pounded on the front door.

The omega’s eyes flew open, a quiet whimper of fear escaping his throat as his fingers scrabbled for the knife he kept hidden under his mattress.

“Stay here,” Dori ordered as he stalked from the room, protective aggression rolling off of him in waves.

Grabbing his sword from where he’d left it leaning against his chair by the fireplace, Dori approached the front door. Opening it the barest inch before it was ripped from his fingers and shoved open.

Almost instantly Dori moved to block the door, shifting into a defensive position, teeth bared as a growl rumbled in his chest.

Four city guards stood before him, three of them alphas.

“Lower your weapon,” the only beta of the group ordered, “We’ve reason to suspect a known thief and instigator of a tavern brawl this evening is in this area. We’re to inspect every house.”

“The only thing to be found in this house is an underage omega in heat. Not a single one of you in stepping foot in here,” Dori growled, eyes flicking between the three alphas, assessing which posed the larger threat. His gaze narrowed into a murderous glare when the youngest, mohawked alpha twitched forward at the mention of an omega in heat.

“We’re not a threat to you and yours,” the beta said, hands held out in a placating motion, “We mean you no harm.”

“You’re in the undercity,” Dori snapped, “Everything is a threat.”

“Not us. We just need to check the premises for the thief, then we’ll leave.”

“ _No one steps a foot into this house_ ,” Dori growled out through gritted, bared teeth again, taking a threatening step forward he forced the beta to fall back. “The thief you’re looking for isn’t here. Now _leave_.”

The alphas bristled at the command, but the beta seemed to finally understand that Dori wouldn’t be moved and he had no desire to tackle an alpha defending an omega he saw as his.

“Alright, we’ll leave,” the beta conceded, taking another step back he forced the alphas to follow suit, “But if you see anyone suspicious don’t hesitate to inform us”

With a non-committal grunt Dori stepped back and slammed the door shut, sliding the heavy metal bolt home before pressing his ear to the door to track the guards as they moved onto the next house.

When the crunch of their boots on the gravel could no longer be heard, Dori quickly made his way back to Nori.

“They’re gone,” he reassured, dumping his sword on the floor by the bed before he gathered a pale and trembling Nori into his arms again, “They’re gone, dear one, you’re safe.”

Slowly Nori relaxed as much as he was able into his brother’s embrace.

“You’re safe.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know I'm meant to be working on the main story but it's being difficult and this just wouldn't leave me alone. I felt some insight was needed, though granted its not a lot, into why Dori acts the way he does and why Nori was kinda hesitant to go with Dwalin in chapter 8.
> 
> Feel free to come visit me over on [tumblr](http://sarcasticsmilerrandomness.tumblr.com/)


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